Audio assemblies for electronic devices

ABSTRACT

Voice-controlled devices that include one or more speakers for outputting audio. In some instances, the device includes at least one speaker within a cylindrical housing, with the speaker aimed or pointed away from a microphone coupled to the housing. For instance, if the microphone resides at or near the top of the cylindrical housing, then the speaker may point downwards along the longitudinal axis of the housing and away from the microphone. By pointing the speaker away from the microphone, the microphone will receive less sound from the speaker than if the speaker were pointed toward the microphone). Because the voice-controlled device may perform speech recognition on audio signals generated by the microphone, less sound from the speaker represented in the audio signal may result in more accurate speech recognition, and/or a lesser need to perform acoustic echo cancelation (AEC) on the generated audio signals.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/502,301, filed on Sep. 30, 2014, the entirecontents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Homes are becoming more wired and connected with the proliferation ofcomputing devices such as desktops, tablets, entertainment systems, andportable communication devices. As computing devices evolve, manydifferent ways have been introduced to allow users to interact withthese devices, such as through mechanical means (e.g., keyboards, mice,etc.), touch screens, motion, and gesture. Another way to interact withcomputing devices is through speech.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanyingfigures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference numberidentifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. Theuse of the same reference numbers in different figures indicates similaror identical components or features.

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative voice interaction computing architectureset in a home environment. The architecture includes a voice-controlleddevice physically situated in the home and communicatively coupled toremote computing resources. The voice-controlled device includes amicrophone to receive voice commands, a light ring to provide visualcues to a user issuing the commands, and speakers for outputting audioto the user.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example embodiment of a layout of components ofthe voice-controlled device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates two speakers and two diffuser elements that certainembodiments of the voice-controlled device may include.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example scenario where sound emanating from thespeakers shown in FIG. 3 travels substantially downwards beforecontacting the diffuser elements of FIG. 3 and traveling outwards,substantially uniformly in all horizontal directions.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example process for assembling an electronicdevice that includes one or more speakers pointed away from an end of ahousing at which a microphone resides. By positioning the speakers topoint away from the microphone, audio signals generated by themicrophone include less noise from the speakers, thereby reducing theamount of acoustic echo cancelation needed to isolate voice commandsreceived at the device.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example embodiment of a light assembly, which thevoice-controlled device of FIG. 1 may include for providing visualindications to a user of the device. In this example, multiple lightingelements (e.g., LEDs) couple to a bottom surface of a substrate. Whenone of the lighting elements is powered, the powered lighting elementemits light substantially downwards and towards a light reflector, whichincludes multiple cavities (e.g., one cavity for each lighting element).The surface of the light reflector may reflect the light from thelighting element upwards towards the light ring, which may illuminate inresponse.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of a light reflector includingmultiple cavities that receive respective lighting elements and thatreflect upwards light received from the lighting elements.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example embodiment of a light ring coupled tovertical walls of a reflector housing, which may hold the lightreflector of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example process for assembling an electronicdevice that includes a light assembly for providing visual feedback to auser of the device.

FIG. 10 shows a block diagram of selected functional componentsimplemented in the voice-controlled device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure describes, in part, electronic devices that includelight assemblies for providing visual feedback to users that operate theelectronic devices. In some instances, the devices comprisevoice-controlled devices and, therefore, include one or more microphonesfor receiving audible commands from the users. After receiving acommand, for instance, one such voice-controlled device may cause acorresponding light assembly of the device to illuminate in somepredefined manner. This illumination may indicate to the user thatdevice has received the command. In other instances, the devices mayilluminate the lighting assembly for an array of other purposes. Forinstance, one such device may illuminate the corresponding lightassembly when powering on or off, playing music, outputting informationto a user (e.g., via a speaker or display), or the like.

In some instance, the voice-controlled device may comprise a housingthat houses some or each component of the device. This housing may, insome instances, have a substantially uniform cross-sectional shape, suchas a circle, square, triangle, or any other polygon. In some instances,the housing is cylindrical and includes one or more microphones near afirst end of the cylindrical housing (e.g., a top of the housing whenthe device is standing up), as well as a light guide (e.g., a lightring) at or near a top of the housing. The light ring may comprise asingle light pipe such that light received at a discrete portion of thelight pipe diffuses to other locations near the discrete point. Further,while in some instances this element comprises a “ring”, in otherinstances this light guide may take any other shape.

In addition, the device may include, near the top of the housing, asubstrate having a bottom surface that includes multiple lightingelements, such as LEDs or the like. The device may include a controllerthat is able to power individual ones of the multiple lighting elements.For instance, the substrate may include any number of lighting elements(e.g., one, two, three, sixteen, one hundred, etc.), distributedsubstantially equally about a perimeter of the bottom surface of thesubstrate, while the controller may control one or more of the lightingelements individually at any time.

The device may further include a light reflector, underneath thesubstrate that includes the lighting elements. When the controllerpowers one or more of the lighting elements, the lighting elements mayemit light downwards towards the light reflector and away from the lightring. The light reflector, which may also take the cross-sectional shapeof the housing (e.g., circular in the case of the cylindrical housing)may include one or more cavities for receiving the emitted light of thelighting elements. In some instances, the light reflector includes onecavity for each lighting element coupled to the bottom surface of thesubstrate. Further, the lighting elements may sit within the cavities ofthe light reflector. When light from the lighting elements emitssubstantially downwards, the light may strike surfaces of the respectivecavities, which may reflect the light substantially upwards and towardsthe light ring on the top of the cylindrical housing. Upon receiving thereflected light, the light ring illuminates at and near where the lighthits the light ring. Because the light ring may reside on vertical wallsof the cylindrical housing, the light ring may reside above each othercomponent of the electronic device and may represent the highest pointof the device. Therefore, the illuminated light ring may be visible tothe user from each side of the device at any or most locations within aroom.

In some instances, the light ring attaches to a component that rotatesabout a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical housing. For instance, thelight ring may sit atop vertical walls of a light-reflector housing thatincludes a bottom surface and vertical walls. The light reflector aswell as the substrate housing the lighting elements on the bottomsurface of the substrate may reside at least partly within thelight-reflector housing. However, the light-reflector housing—and thelight ring attached thereto—may attach to a remainder of the cylindricalhousing such that the light-reflector housing rotates freely about thelongitudinal axis. The light reflector and the substrate housing thelighting elements, however, may remain stationary. In some instances,the rotation of the light-reflector housing may control functionality ofthe device. For instance, rotation of the light-reflector housing maycontrol a volume or sound level of the device (clockwise for additionalvolume, counterclockwise for less volume), a brightness of a display, abrightness of the lights, whether the device is powered on or off, orthe like.

Given that the light ring comprises a single element, such as a singlelight pipe, the light ring may illuminate at the proper locationregardless of the freedom of the light-reflector housing to rotate aboutthe longitudinal axis. For instance, envision that a first of sixteenlighting elements resides at a far left side of the cylindrical housingand is illuminated by a controller. Light from this lighting element mayemit downwards into a respective cavity of the light reflector, whichmay in turn reflect the light upwards towards the light ring. The lightring may receive and partially diffuse the received light at and nearwhere it is received, regardless of which section of the continuous,uniform light pipe receives the light.

In some instances, the voice-controlled device may further include oneor more speakers for outputting audio. In some instances, the deviceincludes at least one speaker within the cylindrical or other-shapedhousing, with the speaker aimed or pointed away from the microphone. Forinstance, if the microphone resides at or near the top of thecylindrical housing, then the speaker may point downwards along thelongitudinal axis of the housing and away from the microphone. Bypointing the speaker away from the microphone, the microphone willreceive less sound from the speaker than if the speaker were pointedotherwise (e.g., toward the microphone). Because the voice-controlleddevice may perform speech recognition on audio signals generated by themicrophone, less sound from the speaker represented in the audio signal(e.g., from music playing by the speakers) may result in more accuratespeech recognition, and/or a lesser need to perform acoustic echocancelation (AEC) on the generated audio signals.

In some instances, the device may also include a diffuser element thatdiffuses sounds in a direction other than along the longitudinal axis.For instance, the diffuser element may comprise an element substantiallyuniform shape (e.g., a rounded top of a sphere, a cone, etc.) thatdiffuses sound traveling from the speaker, down the longitudinal axis,and out into a plane horizontal to the longitudinal axis. Further, thecylindrical housing may comprise a mesh of holes or other voids in orderto allow the sound waves to easily escape the inside of the cylindricalhousing. Further, because the diffuser element is substantially uniform,the sound may be diffused or dispersed substantially equally all the wayaround the device.

In some instances, the voice-controlled device includes multiplespeakers, in-line with one another and pointed in a same direction. Forinstance, the device may include two speakers, both pointed downwardsaway from the microphone of the device. Further, the device may include,directly beneath each speaker, a respective diffuser element fordiffusing sound from each respective speaker. Therefore, the sound fromeach speaker diffuses outwards substantially equally around the entireperimeter of the device.

The devices and techniques introduced above may be implemented in avariety of different architectures and contexts. One non-limiting andillustrative implementation is described below.

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative voice interaction computing architecture100 set in a home environment 102 that includes a user 104. Thearchitecture 100 also includes an electronic voice-controlled device 106with which the user 104 may interact. In the illustrated implementation,the voice-controlled device 106 is positioned on a table within a roomof the home environment 102. In other implementations, it may be placedor mounted in any number of locations (e.g., ceiling, wall, in a lamp,beneath a table, under a chair, etc.). Further, more than one device 106may be positioned in a single room, or one device may be used toaccommodate user interactions from more than one room.

Generally, the voice-controlled device 106 has a microphone unitcomprising at least one microphone 108 and a speaker unit comprising atleast one speaker 110 to facilitate audio interactions with the user 104and/or other users. As introduced above, the device 106 may also includeone or more diffuser elements for diffusing sound from the speaker aboutthe device 106. In some instances, the voice-controlled device 106 isimplemented without a haptic input component (e.g., keyboard, keypad,touch screen, joystick, control buttons, etc.) or a display. In certainimplementations, a limited set of one or more haptic input componentsmay be employed (e.g., a dedicated button to initiate a configuration,power on/off, etc.). Nonetheless, the primary and potentially only modeof user interaction with the electronic device 106 may be through voiceinput and audible output.

The voice-controlled device may further include a light assembly 114 asintroduced above. The light assembly 114 may comprise a light ring atopthe device 106 for providing visual feedback to the user 104. Oneexample implementation of the voice-controlled device 106 is providedbelow in more detail with reference to FIG. 10.

The microphone 108 of the voice-controlled device 106 detects audio fromthe environment 102, such as sounds uttered from the user 104. Asillustrated, the voice-controlled device 106 includes a processor 116and memory 118, which stores or otherwise has access to aspeech-recognition engine 120. As used herein, a processor may includemultiple processors and/or a processor having multiple cores. Thespeech-recognition engine 120 performs speech recognition on audiosignals generated based on sound captured by the microphone, such asutterances spoken by the user 104. The voice-controlled device 106 mayperform certain actions in response to recognizing different speech fromthe user 104. The user may speak predefined commands (e.g., “Awake”;“Sleep”), or may use a more casual conversation style when interactingwith the device 106 (e.g., “I'd like to go to a movie. Please tell mewhat's playing at the local cinema.”).

In some instances, the voice-controlled device 106 may operate inconjunction with or may otherwise utilize computing resources 122 thatare remote from the environment 102. For instance, the voice-controlleddevice 106 may couple to the remote computing resources 122 over anetwork 124. As illustrated, the remote computing resources 122 may beimplemented as one or more servers and may, in some instances, form aportion of a network-accessible computing platform implemented as acomputing infrastructure of processors, storage, software, data access,and so forth that is maintained and accessible via a network such as theInternet. The remote computing resources do not require end-userknowledge of the physical location and configuration of the system thatdelivers the services. Common expressions associated with these remotecomputing resources include “on-demand computing”, “software as aservice (SaaS)”, “platform computing”, “network-accessible platform”,“cloud services”, “data centers”, and so forth.

The servers may include a processor 116 and memory 128. As illustrated,the memory 128 may store and utilize a speech-processing engine 130 forreceiving audio signals from the device 106, recognizing speech and,potentially, causing performance of an action in response. For instance,the engine 130 may identify speech within an audio signal by performingnatural language understanding (NLU) techniques on the audio signal. Inaddition, the engine 130 may provide audio for output on a client device(e.g., the device 106) via text-to-speech (TTS). In some examples, thevoice-controlled device 106 may upload audio data to the remotecomputing resources 122 for processing, given that the resources 122 mayhave a computational capacity that far exceeds the computationalcapacity of the voice-controlled device 106. Therefore, thevoice-controlled device 106 may utilize the speech-processing engine 130for performing relatively complex analysis on audio captured from theenvironment 102.

Regardless of whether the speech recognition occurs locally or remotelyfrom the environment 102, the voice-controlled device 106 may receivevocal input from the user 104 and the device 106 and/or the resources122 may perform speech recognition to interpret a user's operationalrequest or command. The requests may be for essentially any type ofoperation, such as database inquires, requesting and consumingentertainment (e.g., gaming, finding and playing music, movies or othercontent, etc.), personal management (e.g., calendaring, note taking,etc.), online shopping, financial transactions, and so forth. In someinstances, the device 106 also interacts with a client applicationstored on one or more client devices of the user 104.

The voice-controlled device 106 may communicatively couple to thenetwork 124 via wired technologies (e.g., wires, USB, fiber optic cable,etc.), wireless technologies (e.g., WiFi, RF, cellular, satellite,Bluetooth, etc.), or other connection technologies. The network 124 isrepresentative of any type of communication network, including dataand/or voice network, and may be implemented using wired infrastructure(e.g., cable, CATS, fiber optic cable, etc.), a wireless infrastructure(e.g., WiFi, RF, cellular, microwave, satellite, Bluetooth, etc.),and/or other connection technologies.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example embodiment of components of thevoice-controlled device of FIG. 1. First, the device 106 may comprise ahousing 202 to which some or all of the remaining components of thedevice 106. In this example, the housing 202 comprises a cylindricalhousing having a circular cross-section, although the housing 202 maytake any other shape. Here, the housing 202 includes a solid portionnear a top of the housing 202 and a mesh of holes around a perimeternearer a bottom of the housing 202. These holes may allow for betterairflow and, therefore, output of audio from the speaker(s) of thedevice 106. In some instances, the housing 202 comprises a plastic thathas been extruded with laser-cut holes. In other instances, the housing202 comprises metal or any other material and includes slots or otherfeatures for allowing sound to exit from inside the housing 202. In thisillustrated example, the device 106 further includes a scrim 204 forprotecting components within the housing 202.

As the reader will appreciate, some or all of the elements shown to theleft of the housing may reside at least partly within the housing 202when assembled. As illustrated, the top of housing 202 may include thelight assembly 114, above which may reside portions of the sub-system ofthe device for capturing sound and generating audio signals (e.g., foridentifying audible commands of a user). First, the device is shown toinclude a microphone grill 206, a top plate 208, one or more buttons210, a microphone mesh 212, and an audio printed circuit board assembly(PCBA) 214, which may house one or more microphones on its top surface.The top plate 208 includes holes to receive the buttons 210, which maybe used to operate the device (e.g., power on and off, mute or unmutethe microphones, etc.). The microphone mesh 212, meanwhile, may comprisea layer having a mesh of holes to allow sound to reach the microphone(s)on the top surface of the audio PCBA 214. Again, in some instances, eachhole in these components may be laser cut for accuracy and precision.

An underside or bottom surface of the audio PCBA 214 may house one ormore lighting elements, such as LEDs or the like. In some instances,these lighting elements may reside near a perimeter of the PCBA 214 andmay be distributed substantially equally (i.e., may have equal spacingbetween one another). Beneath the audio PCBA 214 resides a gear encoder216 and a light reflector 218. As introduced above, the light reflector218 may reflect light emitted downwards back upwards toward a light ringdiscussed below. The light reflector 218 may be shaped as a ring and mayinclude an equal number of cavities as lighting elements disposed on thebottom surface of the PCBA 214.

Underneath the light reflector 218, the device 106 may include a clampplate 220, a light ring 222, and a light-reflector housing 224. Theclamp plate 220 may secure the light reflector 218 in place when it isdisposed inside the vertical walls of the light-reflector housing 224.The light reflector housing 224 may, as described above, attach to a topof the housing 202 in such as way as to rotate freely about thelongitudinal axis of the housing 202 (e.g., to change a volume or otherattribute of the device). As such, the light-reflector housing 224 mayessentially comprise a rotating knob. The light ring 222, meanwhile, mayreside atop vertical walls of the light-reflector housing 224. As such,the light ring 222 may be viewable from each side of the device and mayalso rotate freely about the longitudinal axis. Further, because thelight ring 222 may comprise a single element (e.g., a single lightpipe), light that is reflected off of the light reflector 218 mayilluminate the light ring 222 at the proper location regardless of thestate of rotation of the light-reflector housing 224. Finally, thedevice 106 may include an attaching plate 226 that secures thelight-reflector housing 224 (and the components residing therein) ontothe housing 202 in a rotatable manner.

Moving downwards within the device 106, the device 106 may furtherinclude an audio assembly for outputting audio within an environment inwhich the device 106 resides. This sub-system of the device 106 mayfirst include a speaker housing 228 for housing one or more speakers, inaddition to a main PCBA 230, and flexible cable 232. The main PCBA 230may, in this example, house certain hardware components of the device(e.g., processors, physical memory, etc.), while the cable 232 may routepower and electrical signals amongst the components of the device 106.

Next, the device includes a port 234, a first speaker 236, a firstdiffuser element 238, a second speaker 240, and a second diffuserelement 242. The first and second speakers may be in line with oneanother and pointed downwards along the longitudinal axis of the housing202 and away from the microphone disposed on the top surface of theaudio PCBA 214. In some instances these speakers are the same size,while in other instances they differ and, therefore, output sound ofdifferent frequency ranges.

The first diffuser element 238, meanwhile, may reside between the firstspeaker 236 and the second speaker 240 and may function to diffuse soundcoming from the first speaker 236 outwards towards a horizontal planerelative to the device 106. In some instances, as illustrated in FIG. 3,the first diffuser element 238 includes a rounded surface for causingthe sound waves from the first speaker 236 to move outwards, through themesh of holes in the housing 202. The second diffuser element 242 mayfunction similarly, albeit for the second speaker 240. The seconddiffuser element 242 may also include some sort of shape for causing thesound waves to travel outside of the housing towards the horizontalplane, such as a rounded top surface (e.g., partially spherical), acone-shaped element, or the like. In some instances, the second diffuserelement 242 may also comprise a housing base on which the housing 202stands.

Finally, in this example, the device 106 includes a connector PCBA 244,a bottom plate 246, and a foot element 248. Further, a power source mayreside within a cavity of the foot element 248 such that the bulk of thepower source is within the housing 202 and the only portion of the powersource outside of the housing 202 is a power cord running to an outlet.The foot element may reside within a cavity of the diffuser element 242in some instances, and may comprise a rubber or other type of materialhaving a high static coefficient of friction to provide stability to thedevice 106 when standing. The bottom plate 246 may couple the footelement 248 to the diffuser element 242, while the connector PCBA 244may house electrical components for passing power up to other componentsof the device.

FIG. 3 illustrates, in further detail, the two speakers and two diffuserelements introduced in FIG. 2 above. As illustrated, both speakers pointdownwards in this example, although in other implementations thespeakers can point in any direction (e.g., upwards, sideways, at anacute angle, etc.). Generally, the speakers point away from a locationof the microphone of the device 106 so as to increase thesignal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of any audio signals generated by themicrophone.

In addition, FIG. 3 illustrates an implementation of the first diffuserelement 238 at a greater level of detail. In this example, the firstdiffuser element 238 includes a top surface 302 that is rounded in auniform manner all the way around the first diffuser element 238 (e.g.,uniform in 360 degrees about the longitudinal axis). Further, thisrounded top surface 302 may, in some instances, resemble a top portionof a flattened sphere. This top surface 302 functions to receive aircarrying sound waves from the first speaker 236 and direct these soundswaves outwards horizontally in a substantially uniform manner about thelongitudinal axis of the device 106.

The second diffuser element 242 is also shown in greater detail. ASillustrated, in this example the second diffuser element 242 includes atop surface 304 comprising a cone. This cone similarly functions toreceive air carrying sound waves from the second speaker 240 and directthese sounds waves outwards horizontally in a substantially uniformmanner about the longitudinal axis of the device 106. While FIG. 3illustrates a flattened sphere and a cone sitting atop the diffuserelements, the reader will appreciate that other implementations mayutilize other shapes for diffusing the sound horizontally.

FIG. 4 illustrates an example scenario where sound 402 emanating fromthe speakers shown in FIG. 3 travels substantially downwards beforecontacting the diffuser elements of FIG. 3 and traveling outwards,substantially uniformly in all horizontal directions. For instance, FIG.4 illustrates that sound 402 emanating from the first speaker 236contacts the first diffuser element 238, which directs this soundoutwards substantially in a plane that is horizontal to the longitudinalaxis of the device 106 in a substantially uniform manner. Further, sound404 emanating from the second speaker 240 contacts the second diffuserelement 242, which also directs this sound outwards in a substantiallyuniform manner.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example process 500 for assembling an electronicdevice that includes one or more speakers pointed away from an end of ahousing at which a microphone resides. By positioning the speakers awayfrom the microphone, input signals generated by the microphone includeless noise from the speakers, thereby reducing the amount of acousticecho cancelation needed to isolate commands received at the microphone.

The process 500 includes, at 502, coupling a first speaker to and atleast partly within a housing such that the first speaker points along alongitudinal axis of the housing and towards a first end of the housing.Next, at 504, the process 500 couples a second speaker to and at leastpartly within the housing such that the second speaker also points alongthe longitudinal axis of the housing and towards the first end of thehousing.

At 506, the process 500 couples a first diffuser element to the housingat least partly between the first and second speakers, the firstdiffuser element configured to diffuse sound about a horizontal planeperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. At 508, theprocess 500 couples a second diffuser element to the housing, nearer thefirst end of the housing than both the first and second speakers, thesecond diffuser element configured to diffuse sound about the horizontalplane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing. Finally, at510, the process 500 may couple a microphone to the housing near asecond, opposite end of the housing.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example embodiment of the light assembly 114,which the voice-controlled device 106 may include for providing visualindications to a user of the device. In this example, multiple lightingelements 602(1), . . . , 602(N) couple to a bottom surface of asubstrate, which in this example comprises the audio PCBA 214 (althoughthe lighting elements may couple to any other substrate). Further, theselighting elements may, in some instances be disposed equally along anedge of a perimeter of the substrate. In some instances, a bottomsurface of the audio PCBA 214 (or other substrate) is coated in alight-reflective material for the purpose of increasing lightreflection.

When one of the lighting elements is powered by a controller of thedevice, the powered lighting element emits light substantially downwardsand towards the light reflector 218, which includes multiple cavities(e.g., one cavity for each lighting element). The surface of the lightreflector 218, potentially along with an inner surface of the verticalwalls of the light-reflector housing 224, may reflect the light from thelighting element upwards towards the light ring 222, which mayilluminate in response. In some instances, and as illustrated, thecavities of the light reflector 218 may include light-spreading elementsfor reflecting the light in certain directions. In this example, theseelements have a triangular cross-section, although in other embodimentsthe elements may have a different shape (e.g., conical, sloping, etc.).

FIG. 7 illustrates an example embodiment of the light reflector 218 thatis circular in shape and that may receive the light from the lightingelements 602(1)-(N) and reflect it generally upwards towards the lightring 222. In this example, the light reflector 218 includes multiplecavities 702(1), . . . , 702(12) that receive respective lightingelements 602(1)-(N) when the audio PCBA 214 (or other substrate holdingthe lighting elements) is coupled to the light reflector. Surfaces ofthese cavities 702(1)-(12) may receive the emitted light and reflectthis light upwards. It is noted that while the light reflector 218includes twelve cavities in this example (and, hence, the audio PCBA 214may include twelve complementary lighting elements to reside at leastpartially within these cavities), the light reflector 218 may includeany other number of cavities, which may be spaced substantially equallyabout the perimeter of the light reflector 218.

In addition, FIG. 7 illustrates that the light reflector 218 mayinclude, adjacent to each cavity, a corresponding light-spreadingelement 704(1). While FIG. 7 illustrates a single light-spreadingelement 704(1) adjacent to the cavity 702(1), FIG. 7 illustrates thateach cavity may be associated with a corresponding light-spreadingelement. The light-spreading element 704(1) may function to spread lightthat is received in the cavity prior to the light be reflected backupwards towards the light ring. That is, when the lighting elements emitlight into the cavities, the cavities may reflect the light first towardthe light-spreading elements, which may spread the light in differentdirections and back into the cavities, which in turn reflects the lightupwards towards the light ring. By doing so, the light is furtherdispersed prior to reaching the light ring, which in turn diffuses thelight even further for a more even illumination. While in this examplethe light-spreading element 704(1) comprises a triangular shape, inother implementations this element 704(1) may take any other shape.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example embodiment of the light ring 222 coupledto vertical walls of the light-reflector housing 224. The light ring 222may comprise the singular light pipe and may be made of a diffusivematerial for diffusing light to locations near where the light pipereceives the light. Further, the light ring 222 may reside at thevertical walls of the light-reflector housing and, therefore, maycomprise the highest point of the device 106.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example process 900 for assembling an electronicdevice that includes a light assembly for providing visual feedback to auser of the device. At 902, the process 900 places a light reflector,having multiple cavities on a top side of the light reflector, inside areflector housing having a horizontal surface and vertical walls,wherein the reflector housing includes a light ring atop the verticalwalls. At 904, the process 900 places a substrate onto the lightreflector, the substrate including multiple lighting elements on abottom surface of the substrate, each of multiple lighting elementsresiding at least partially within one of the multiple cavities of thelight reflector when the substrate is placed onto the light reflector.Finally, at 906, the process 900 powers one of the multiple lightingelements, the powered lighting element emitting light substantiallydownwards into its respective cavity, a surface of the respective cavityreflecting the light substantially upwards towards the light ring, aportion of the light ring receiving the reflected light andilluminating.

FIG. 10 shows selected functional components of one implementation ofthe voice-controlled device 106 in more detail. Generally, thevoice-controlled device 106 may be implemented as a standalone devicethat is relatively simple in terms of functional capabilities withlimited input/output components, memory and processing capabilities. Forinstance, the voice-controlled device 106 does not have a keyboard,keypad, or other form of mechanical input in some implementations, nordoes it have a display or touch screen to facilitate visual presentationand user touch input. Instead, the device 106 may be implemented withthe ability to receive and output audio, a network interface (wirelessor wire-based), power, and limited processing/memory capabilities.

In the illustrated implementation, the voice-controlled device 106includes the processor 116 and memory 118. The memory 118 may includecomputer-readable storage media (“CRSM”), which may be any availablephysical media accessible by the processor 116 to execute instructionsstored on the memory. In one basic implementation, CRSM may includerandom access memory (“RAM”) and Flash memory. In other implementations,CRSM may include, but is not limited to, read-only memory (“ROM”),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (“EEPROM”), or anyother medium which can be used to store the desired information andwhich can be accessed by the processor 116.

The voice-controlled device 106 includes a microphone unit thatcomprises one or more microphones 108 to receive audio input, such asuser voice input. The device 106 also includes a speaker unit thatincludes one or more speakers 110 to output audio sounds. The device 106also includes the diffuser elements 112 and the light assembly 114,described above.

One or more codecs 1002 are coupled to the microphone(s) 108 and thespeaker(s) 110 to encode and/or decode the audio signals. The codec 1002may convert audio data between analog and digital formats. A user mayinteract with the device 106 by speaking to it, and the microphone(s)108 captures sound and generates an audio signal that includes the userspeech. The codec(s) 1002 encodes the user speech and transfers thataudio data to other components. The device 106 can communicate back tothe user by emitting audible statements through the speaker(s) 110. Inthis manner, the user interacts with the voice-controlled device simplythrough speech, without use of a keyboard or display common to othertypes of devices.

In the illustrated example, the voice-controlled device 106 includes oneor more wireless interfaces 1004 coupled to one or more antennas 1006 tofacilitate a wireless connection to a network. The wireless interface(s)1004 may implement one or more of various wireless technologies, such asWiFi, Bluetooth, RF, and so on.

One or more device interfaces 1008 (e.g., USB, broadband connection,etc.) may further be provided as part of the device 106 to facilitate awired connection to a network, or a plug-in network device thatcommunicates with other wireless networks. One or more power units 1010are further provided to distribute power to the various components onthe device 106.

The voice-controlled device 106 is designed to support audiointeractions with the user, in the form of receiving voice commands(e.g., words, phrase, sentences, etc.) from the user and outputtingaudible feedback to the user. Accordingly, in the illustratedimplementation, there are no or few haptic input devices, such asnavigation buttons, keypads, joysticks, keyboards, touch screens, andthe like. Further there is no display for text or graphical output. Inone implementation, the voice-controlled device 106 may includenon-input control mechanisms, such as basic volume control button(s) forincreasing/decreasing volume, as well as power and reset buttons. Theremay also be one or more simple lighting elements (e.g., LEDs aroundperimeter of a top portion of the device) to indicate a state such as,for example, when power is on or to indicate when a command is received.But, otherwise, the device 106 does not use or need to use any inputdevices or displays in some instances.

Several modules such as instruction, datastores, and so forth may bestored within the memory 118 and configured to execute on the processor116. An operating system module 1012 is configured to manage hardwareand services (e.g., wireless unit, Codec, etc.) within and coupled tothe device 106 for the benefit of other modules. In addition, the memory118 may include the speech-recognition engine 120, discussed above.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features, it is to be understood that the subject matterdefined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to thespecific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosedas illustrative forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electronic device comprising: a housingincluding a top surface and an opposing bottom surface; at least onemicrophone coupled to the housing and disposed a first distance from thebottom surface of the housing, wherein the at least one microphonereceives audible input via one or more openings in the top surface ofthe housing, wherein the audible input is generated external to theelectronic device; a lighting element coupled to the housing anddisposed near the top surface of the housing; a speaker coupled to thehousing and disposed a second distance from the bottom surface, whereinthe first distance is greater than the second distance; one or moreprocessors; and one or more computer-readable media storing instructionsthat, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or moreprocessor to perform operations comprising: processing the audibleinput; and outputting, via the speaker, an audible response based atleast in part on the audible input.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1,wherein the operations further comprise providing a visual feedback viathe lighting element.
 3. The electronic device of claim 1, furthercomprising a button disposed at the top surface of the housing, andwherein the operations further comprise detecting operation of thebutton.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein processing theaudible input comprises: sending data corresponding to the audible inputto one or more remote computing devices; and receiving, from the one ormore remote computing devices, data representing the audible response.5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the housing lacks hapticinput devices.
 6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the audibleresponse is generated at least in part via text-to-speech (TTS).
 7. Anelectronic device comprising: a housing including a top surface and anopposing bottom surface; at least one microphone coupled to the housingand disposed near the top surface of the housing, wherein the at leastone microphone receives audible input via one or more openings in thetop surface of the housing, wherein the audible input is generatedexternal to the electronic device; a lighting element coupled to thehousing and disposed near the top surface of the housing; a speakercoupled to the housing and disposed closer to the bottom surface thanthe top surface; one or more processors; and one or morecomputer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors, cause the one or more processor to performoperations comprising: processing the audible input; and outputting, viathe speaker, an audible response based at least in part on the audibleinput, wherein the audible response travels at least in part from withinthe housing to outside of the housing along a plane that issubstantially horizontal to the housing.
 8. An electronic devicecomprising: a network interface; one or more processors; one or morecomputer-readable media; a housing that includes at least a top surface;a microphone coupled to the housing and disposed a first distance fromthe top surface, wherein the microphone receives audible input via oneor more openings in the top surface, and wherein at least a portion ofthe audible input is generated external to the electronic device; alighting element coupled to the housing and disposed near the topsurface of the housing; and a speaker coupled to the housing anddisposed a second distance from the top surface, wherein the seconddistance is greater than the first distance.
 9. The electronic device ofclaim 8, further comprising an audio input device disposed at the topsurface of the housing.
 10. The electronic device of claim 8, whereinthe one or more computer-readable media store instructions that, whenexecuted by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processorsto perform operations comprising: receiving audible input using themicrophone; and based at least in part on receiving the audible input,providing a visual feedback using the lighting element.
 11. Theelectronic device of claim 8, wherein the housing includes a cylindricalshape.
 12. An electronic device comprising: a network interface; one ormore processors; a housing that includes at least a top surface; amicrophone coupled to the housing and disposed a first distance from thetop surface; a lighting element coupled to the housing and disposed nearthe top surface of the housing; a speaker coupled to the housing anddisposed a second distance from the top surface, wherein the seconddistance is greater than the first distance; and one or morecomputer-readable media, wherein the one or more computer-readable mediastore instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors,cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:receiving audible input using the microphone; sending, using the networkinterface, the audible input to one or more computing devices;receiving, using the network interface, data representing an audibleresponse from the one or more computing devices; and outputting theaudible response using the speaker.
 13. An electronic device comprising:a network interface; one or more processors; a housing that includes atleast a top surface; a microphone coupled to the housing and disposed afirst distance from the top surface; a lighting element coupled to thehousing and disposed near the top surface of the housing; a speakercoupled to the housing and disposed a second distance from the topsurface, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance;and one or more computer-readable media, wherein the one or morecomputer-readable media store instructions that, when executed by theone or more processors, cause the one or more processors to performoperations comprising: receiving audible input using the microphone;analyzing the audible input using one or more speech recognitiontechniques; and outputting, based at least in part on analyzing theaudible input, an audible response using the speaker.
 14. An electronicdevice comprising: a housing that includes at least a surface; at leastone microphone coupled to the housing and disposed near the surface ofthe housing, wherein the at least one microphone receives audible inputvia one or more openings in the surface of the housing and wherein atleast a portion of the audible input is generated external to theelectronic device; a speaker coupled to the housing and disposed agreater distance from the surface than the at least one microphone; alighting element coupled to the housing and disposed at the surface ofthe housing; one or more processors; and one or more computer-readablemedia storing instructions that, when executed by the one or moreprocessors, cause the one or more processor to perform operationscomprising: processing the audible input; and outputting, using thespeaker, an audible response that is based at least in part on theaudible input.
 15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein theoperations further comprise providing, based at least in part on the atleast one microphone receiving the audible input, a visual feedbackusing the lighting element.
 16. The electronic device of claim 14,further comprising an input device disposed at the surface of thehousing.
 17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the operationsfurther comprise detecting operation of the input device.
 18. Theelectronic device of claim 14, wherein the speaker is disposed withinthe housing such that the speaker is pointed substantially away from theat least one microphone.
 19. The electronic device of claim 14, whereinprocessing the audible input comprises: sending data corresponding tothe audible input to one or more remote computing devices; andreceiving, from the one or more remote computing devices, datarepresenting the audible response.